A man is set to face additional charges in connection with the Bondi Beach terror attack that claimed the lives of 15 people during a Jewish holiday. Naveed Akram, aged 24, along with his father Sajid, allegedly carried out the attack at Archer Park in Sydney on December 14. Sajid was fatally shot at the scene, while Akram is now facing 19 new charges, including 10 counts of attempted murder, multiple charges of causing injury with intent to kill, and firing a weapon with the intent to resist arrest.
Previously, the 24-year-old had been charged with 59 offenses, including 15 murder charges and one count of committing a terrorist act. Akram, currently held in a high-security prison awaiting trial, has not yet entered a plea. The new charges were officially presented in court documents before Akram’s hearing at Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney.
According to New South Wales Police, the father and son parked their vehicle near Archer Park on the evening of the attack. The duo allegedly threw improvised explosive devices towards a group of people, although none detonated. The incident resulted in injuries to two officers and numerous individuals, including Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a 41-year-old father of five and assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi.
Court documents had previously indicated that Sajid and Naveed Akram had conducted reconnaissance and planning in the area before the attack. Police have also accused them of engaging in firearms training in rural Australia. Akram is scheduled to appear in court again in June.
The assailants initially tried to target a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach by throwing improvised explosive devices that failed to detonate. Additionally, a larger explosive device was discovered in the son’s car trunk, adorned with flags associated with the Islamic State group, as per police statements.
The police investigation into this tragic event is one of three official inquiries probing Australia’s alleged worst terrorist attack. Another inquiry is focusing on calls from law enforcement and intelligence agencies for stricter gun control measures within the context of a broader royal commission, the highest form of public inquiry in Australia.
This commission aims to examine the extent of antisemitism in society and the specifics surrounding the Bondi shooting. Its public hearings commenced recently, shedding light on the incident’s details.
